It’s like Christmas or Hanukkah in June and July! It’s like your birthday five or more days in a row! It’s like finding a 100 dollar bill on the sidewalk! It’s the event you’ve been waiting for: It’s the explosion of hundreds of melodic pop songs that are new to the Pure Pop Radio playlist! Holy melody and harmony, Batman!
We’ve already added nearly 200 songs to the playlist, and hundreds more are coming during the next two weeks. Two weeks? “You mean this event, for which I have been training the past couple of days, is going to reap even more rewards than previously thought?” You are correct! Our ace music pickers wound up getting so much more music in than was anticipated that we’re having to expand our explosive event to two weeks. That’s right, you heard the words: Two weeks! So each and every day during the next 14 days (excluding Sundays, when the aforementioned pickers recharge their melodic batteries), we will be adding new songs, recent songs, songs from the past–lots of songs to the playlist! Wow! Just…wow!
Here are just some of the songs and artists whose great music is now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio:
The Britannicas – High Tea. Four years on from this international melodic pop supergroup’s first, self-titled album comes this powerhouse release bursting with all of the hallmarks that satisfy the cravings of listeners all over the world: power pop, Byrds musings, gorgeous balladry, jangle, harmonies and hooks galore. Featuring the great Herb Eimerman from the United States, veteran popster Joe Algeri from Australia and Magnus Karlsson from Sweden, High Tea is a truly classic collection from which we’ve added nine glorious tracks: “Talkin’ ’bout Summer,” “The Moment Passed,” “Come On Boys,” “Bleed Between the Lines,” “A Shag and Cup o’ Tea,” “More Like than Different,” “I Work at the Post Office,” “Will Someone Cover Your Fall,” and “Lyin’ on the Ground.” Make room on your best of 2014 lists for this one, folks.
Joe Sullivan – Shlockstar. Here’s an “oh yeah!” moment if ever there was one. Joe Sullivan, who plays guitar in An American Underdog, knows his way around a guitar and, what’s more, he knows his way around a deep-seated melodic pop hook. He’s put both of these talents to use on his first album, titled Shlockstar. This album could well be the best debut of the year (there’s no release date yet, so keep looking out for this one). And while we’re at it, let’s call this album a serious contender for 2014’s best-of lists. Every song sounds like a friend you want to hug. Warm and fuzzy melodies abound. Take the first song, “Conspiracy Radio.” Say, is that opening echoing the great Phil Spector productions from the sixties? And aren’t those vocals great? And that guitar solo? Dudes and dudettes, this album is made for your CD player’s repeat button. We love this album so much that we’ve added all 10 songs. Listen for the aforementioned “Conspiracy Radio,” “Nurse Tracy,” “Okinawa Girl,” “Sean Patrick’s Balloon,” “Rockstar Girlfriend,” “Look at Me Now,” “Can’t Go Home,” “Girl Next Door,” “Love in Every Bite,” and “Victims of the Sarlaac.” Prepare to be charmed and amazed. (Thanks to An American Underdog’s Andy Reed for turning me on to this great artist.)
Andy Klingensmith – Pangea. Andy Klingensmith is the melodic pop gift that keeps on giving. This young collegiate issued a short EP last month. That’s three superb releases in less than a year. There is nothing this incredibly talented master of intricate harmonies and deeply-felt songs can’t do. We’ve added two songs to our deep inventory of Klingensmith classics: “Pangea” and “The Actress’s Kiss.” All three of Andy’s releases are available on Bandcamp for free or however much you want to pay. Go get them now. You won’t be sorry.
Goodman – Isn’t it Sad? Not even remotely. Straight from New York City comes (Michael) Goodman’s latest collection of catchy pop tunes that will grab hold of your ears and never let go. We’ve graced our playlist with five songs from this as-great-as-Goodman’s-other-releases album: “I’ll Live Without your Love,” “Longing,” “Anywhere,” “The 1,” and “Canopy.” Prepare to be wowed.
Also added to the Pure Pop Radio playlist today:
* A great song from What, Really?’s self-titled EP: “Ophelia (Among the Flowers).”
* Two exceptional tunes from the forthcoming Vanilla album, 2.0: “Hai Karate Girls” and “The Victim of the Rhyme.” Jayson Jarmon should sound familiar, as he’s one of the members of one of the great bands of our time, Liar’s Club. But, really, he should be familiar as a great pop man whose tightly-constructed songs are a wonder to behold. We love Vanilla and can’t wait for the full album to be released.
* Rachael Dunn, whose sister is the great Liverpool, England pop artist Maxi Dunn, is a really cool singer-songwriter in her own right. Her EP, Placing Stars, is a delight. Fans of classic British artist Claire Hamill will find much to love here. We’ve added two songs that we think you’ll love: “Placing Stars” and “Summer Sunlight.” Rachel Dunn makes beautiful music and you can hear it in rotation on Pure Pop Radio.
* Antiqcool – “Emily.” We’ve been playing a whole bunch of tunes from this ultra-talented singer-songwriter, and now comes this new song, a complete delight.
* Sons of Jet. Freshly-scrubbed and new to the pop scene, Sons of Jet have released a very cool retro-sounding single. Of course, we’re playing both tunes–the early, easy pop of “Broken Record” and the upbeat, could-have-been-heard-at-the-Cavern pop-rocker “My Tears for You (No More).” We expect big things from this group of music loving folks.
*Lewis Taylor. Taylor’s great release, The Lost Album, is a wonderful collection of beautifully constructed pop songs featuring great melodies and heavenly vocals. We’ve added the Todd Rundgren-esque “The Leader of the Band” and “Let’s Hope Nobody Finds Us,” a great song that Beach Boys never recorded. More to come, for sure.
Be here tomorrow when we put more songs just added to the Pure Pop Radio playlist in the spotlight. Hundreds of songs to go; don’t miss a single one! And thanks for listening!
Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio 